


Sarajevo

by TerryJune



Series: Mission Briefs [3]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: One Shot, Origin Story, hail HYDRA
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-11
Updated: 2019-06-11
Packaged: 2020-04-23 21:26:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19159288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TerryJune/pseuds/TerryJune
Summary: As mentioned in episode 1x21 - "Ragtag""Nickle Version?  I got fragged by an IED outside of Sarajevo. When I radioed for medivac I got nothing but an ear full of excuses.  That's when I realized I was more loyal to SHIELD than SHIELD was to me.  So I decided if I made it out, if I survived, I was going to treat them the way they treated me.  Then I stuffed my intestines back inside, duct taped myself shut and humped my way out."~~"1990??  Garrett was the first Deathlock..."





	Sarajevo

**Author's Note:**

> This is only a one shot, there are no other chapters, but John Garrett will make appearances in a couple other fics in my "Mission Briefs" series.

The sound of helicopter blades meant one of two things; he was being rescued or he was finally slipping into complete delusion and the end was near.

After days of this living hell, John Garrett honestly couldn’t decide if he cared which it ended up being.

His hand drifted to his side, pressing on the makeshift pressure bandage holding his torso together.  Even if it was a rescue, he doubted it would make much difference.  The damage had only gotten worse. 

It was through sheer force of will that he had managed to quite literally tape himself back together. He was unsure how it was possible he was even still breathing.  Best he could figure it had been three days of dragging himself through the forest before collapsing in this bombed out shack.

The remains of the wooden door swung open and he watched through slit eyes as polished dress shoes stepped into view.

“You were a hard man to find."  The new arrival paused, "Looks like you’re in rough shape.”  

John made half an effort to move but could not find the energy to raise his eyes to reveal the identity of his would be rescuer. 

The shoes approached and a shadow passed over his face prior to the sharp sting of a needle entering his neck.

Within moments, a surge went through him and he blinked, breathing deeply for the first time in days. 

“There’s more where that came from.”

John looked up.  The redheaded man seemed vaguely familiar but while he wore a crisp suit, John didn’t peg him as a SHIELD agent.

“Alexander Pierce.” The man answered the unasked question. “Do you know who I am?”

He waited for John to shake his head.

Pierce wiped off a nearby chair with a handkerchief before sitting down with a tilted head, “John, I’m here to offer you a deal.” His smile was relaxed, “My organization is seeking volunteers for a new initiative.”

“Vol…?” John managed, pulling himself up close to sitting.

“Project Deathlock.” He shrugged, “The name is a bit much for me but the program has real potential. Computer and mechanical technology used to support and sustain life.”

John flinched and Pierce's eyebrows rose, "You're right to be suspicious, but I assure you we have top minds on this with the finest resources." He shrugged, "And you don't seem to have too many choices."

"And what are they? My choices?" John allowed his head to roll back against the wall.

"Easy." Pierce held out one hand, "Stay here and hope that SHIELD gets their priorities and people in order before you expire, or," He held out the other hand, "Come with me.  I'll save your life and give you a little introduction to my organization and then the options are all yours."

“Your…” John coughed, “Organization?”

Pierce looked out the window, “Depends on who you ask.” He returned his attention to John, “Your S.O. would tell you I’m former SHIELD, current congressional liaison.” He checked his watch, “Fury’s not wrong; he just doesn't see the full picture. I consider myself to be a bit of an investor.  Money, technology, _power_."  He smirked, "Success requires a...not quite so  _narrow_ definition of allegiance.”

“I don’t do bullshit.” John already felt his reinvigorated energy draining and willing this man to get to the point.

“I’ve heard.” Pierce nodded, “Just as I also heard that you went through the academy for operations but your skills placed you on the field agent roster instead of joining the specialists. On the fast track to team leader.” He shrugged, “You’re a unique talent, Agent Garrett, and I’d like to invest in you.”

John didn’t bother speaking, just stared back, waiting.

Pierce settled on to the chair, “SHIELD is about protection but you can only give what you have.  If SHIELD doesn’t even have the power to protect its own people, how are they supposed to do right by the rest of the world?” He shrugged, “What Miss Carter and Keller and even Fury won’t tell you is that protection and power are entwined concepts.”

He gestured between them, “For example, right now, if something were to happen, you couldn’t protect me, you don’t have the power.  At the same time, being _able_ to protect you _gives_ me power over you.”

Pierce leaned forward, elbows braced on his knees as he met Garrett’s eyes, “So let me ask you, Agent Garrett, do you want power?”

“I want to live.” John muttered.

Pierce nodded, “And we can help you with that.  The question then becomes, what are you going to do with the life we give you?”

John knew a con game when he heard one but what this strange savior was saying aligned with what he’d been cursing internally ever since being told medivac was hours away.

He flicked his eyes over the polished man.  Gritting his teeth he nodded, “What do you want from me?”

Pierce smiled, “ _Hail Hydra_.”


End file.
